Cyber police summon 2 Thai influencers in crackdown on gambling promotion
The Thai Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) summoned two notable Thai influencers who have been connected with illegal online gambling. According to reports today, Police Lieutenant General Vorawat Watnakrobunsa, from the CCIB ordered a probing of different social media platforms for evidence of illicit online gambling.
Initial findings revealed that some influencers have been using their high follower counts to coax the online community into participating in this illegal activity, often through promotions and credit schemes.
CCIB officers have therefore issued summonses detailing allegations against the two influencers: Pannarai Khemmi, better known as ‘Mod Oi,’ a sexy net idol with more than 1.1 million Twitter followers, and another influencer known as ‘Nak Nak.’
Pannarai was found to have invited the user @windragon239 to take part in online gambling via the website www.windragon239.com.
The other influencer summoned is Kannika Ocha, another net idol with 99,000 Facebook followers and the owner of the TikTok account ‘Nak Nak (Real Channel),’ followed by more than 2.9 million users. She is also accused of promoting online gambling.
Depending on the circumstances, those found guilty of promoting gambling could face up to two years in prison, a fine not exceeding 2,000 baht or both.
It was reported that both influencers are due to acknowledge these charges at 1.30pm at the CCIB.
Prior to this action, the CCIB had prosecuted several other group influencers, net idols, and celebrities who were found promoting gambling posts, including an advertisement link to an online gambling website via their personal Facebook accounts.
Upon further investigation, the following influencers were jailed: Pound Nipon; Pound’s girlfriend; Oil Roi Juub; Cherry Sam Khok; and Cherry’s Facebook administrator. They were found alongside 30 other influencers participating in similar behaviour, all of whom will be summoned to face charges.
In another gambling bust, a wanted figure connected with a high-profile web gambling case involving a staggering 140 million baht was apprehended at Don Mueang Airport after arriving from Singapore. Read more HERE.
